PEASANT REVOLTS i8i 



were not to be deprived of the franchise. But time 

 was pressing, as the overseers were already pre- 

 paring the voting lists and omitting the names of 

 all those who had during the year received medical 

 relief. 



The present writer, in June, 1885, brought in a Bill 

 to remove this disqualification. The measure was, 

 however, withdrawn on a promise being given by the 

 Government to introduce a Bill to deal with the 

 matter. But the Bill, when introduced, was found 

 to give relief only in cases where drugs and other 

 medicines were supplied. 



It was evident that this was not enough, because in 

 such tirties as childbirth and other cases of illness, and 

 in cases of accident, not only medicine, but surgical 

 appliances, medical comforts, nursing, and other things 

 were wanted, which labourers out of their scanty 

 wages could not possibly provide. Accordingly the 

 present writer moved that the following clause be 

 added to the Bill : " The term medical or surgical 

 assistance in this Act shall include all medical and 

 surgical attendance and all matters and things supplied 

 by or on the recommendation of the medical officer 

 having authority to give such attendance or recom- 

 mendation at the expense of any poor-rate." 



There was the bitterest opposition to the clause, 

 especially on the part of the so-called "political 

 economists," on both sides of the House. These 

 theorists, by dilatory motions and by obstruction, did 

 all that lay in their power to defeat the measure. 

 They were ready to brand poverty as a crime, and to 

 punish it by depriving the poor of the first rights of 

 citizenship. "I have no fear," said one of them, "of 

 universal suffrage, but I have great fear of giving 



